Looking for a solid local church can have many challenges and raise many questions. Anyone who has looked for a local church knows these challenges. While it can be a faith-filling experience, it can also be a difficult journey.
Occasionally I hear people say something like the following when they critique a local church,
I like that church, but it is too big for me. I’m looking for something smaller.
Though I think I understand their sentiment, it is an unusual critique from a New Testament perspective. Numerical growth in the NT was generally a sign of God’s blessing rather than an indication of a problem. The early church flocked to God and to each other as God added to their number.
Additionally, it is not unusual for an employee to enjoy the benefits and opportunities that come with a larger organization. You don’t normally hear the “large church rationale” regarding a job or a school, though I realize there are exceptions.
- This company is too large. I’m looking for a company with fewer employees.
- This school is way too big. I want to go to a school with just a handful of people.
(I’m aware that some large churches are not solid, conservative churches. The nature, vision, and values of those types of churches are outside the purpose of this article. Here I am speaking about large Gospel-centered, Christ-exalting churches.)
God adds people to his church according to his good purposes. A large local church is a church that God has chosen to bless by increasing its membership. If God’s blessing is on the church, then making God’s blessing a negative is not wise or biblical. Of course I’m not saying a small church is not experiencing God’s blessing; I am saying the size of the church is at times too much of a concern for some Christians.
You do not read of New Testament believers complaining about the size of their local church. There are more important things to consider when choosing a local church. I have written seven articles on how to find a good local church:
- How to Find a Local Church, 1.0
- The #1 Priority for Any Local Church, 2.0
- The Second Question to Ask a Local Church, 3.0
- You Better Believe Worship Matters, 4.0
- Ministries, Programs & Amenities of Religion - 5.0
- Fellowship! What is Missing in Most Local Churches – 6.0
- Thoughts on Pursuing Others Relationally – 6.1
An employee of a large corporation typically has a small group of friends that he associates and works with. This is normal and expected. He does not feel the pressure to get to know every person in the organization. A good employee’s primary objective is to support the mission and values of the corporation within the smaller sphere in which he was hired to work.
A large local church should be viewed similarly. A large local church that is functioning biblically will have smaller contexts in which the members of the church can fulfill the “one another” imperatives of the NT. A small group is an excellent context for Christians to enjoy the benefits of body life, while supporting and fulfilling the greater mission of the church.
Application Questions
- Is the size of the local church an important factor when you are looking for a local church? If so, why?
- What are your top five values, in order of priority, when you are looking for a local church?
- How are you experiencing authentic, reciprocal relationships in your local church while supporting the greater vision of your local church?
Related Articles in this Series
- The Church: the dearest place on earth
- A Bigger Vision: the local church – 1.0
- A Bigger Vision: my church is too big! - 2.0
- A Bigger Vision: the new category: church attender – 3.0
- A Bigger Vision: let me care for you – 4.0
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